25 Best Holiday Hacks for Around the House

With the holidays fast approaching it can be a stressful time of year for you and your family--so here are twenty-five hacks to use around your house to make your life easier.

1.  Use two different sized lights for the tree. This is an easy way to make your tree look fuller and more dynamic without having to complicate the decorating process.

2.  DIY Christmas Lights. Get a bag of ping pong balls, cut a small “x” in them, and put them over existing christmas lights.

  

3.  Repurpose generic ornaments. Get generic ornament bulbs and place them in bowls and vases around the house. If there are any left place them on the tree to fill the empty spaces.

4.  Use command strips. Never underestimate the value of using command strips instead of nails--in the long run you will thank yourself. Use them to hang lights, banners or flip one upside down and use it as an inconspicuous way to hang a wreath on your front door.

5.  Use clothespins. Another way to avoid drilling into the walls and hammering in nails is to use clothespins. They are typically cheaper than command strips and they can be used indoors or outdoors.

6.  Use what you already have. Make sure to go through storage before going to the store to purchase more decorations. Also, as a fun activity go outside and gather up various leaves or pine cones with the children to place around the house.

7.  Decorate with LED lights. Whether inside or outside LED lights can be used all around the house to provide holiday spirit--not to mention they last longer and use less energy which saves you money in the long run.

8.  A lazy susan is great for tree decorating. Place a lazy susan underneath the tree stand in order to easily access all sides of your tree--it’ll save you time and energy.

9.  A plastic snow saucer could save your floor. Is your only option to put your tree over your hardwood floor? Save yourself from worrying by placing a plastic snow saucer underneath the tree stand.

10.  Use burlap as decoration. Burlap is an easy and inexpensive way to dress up a tree or hanging garland.

  

11.  Create your own family Christmas banner. Glue your favorite family photos to brightly colored card stock and hang from a string with clothespins. This particular decoration allows you to change out the pictures, rearrange the banner, or go with different color schemes from year to year.

12.  Reuse old Christmas cards. Arrange old Christmas cards in the form of a Christmas tree on the wall or create a Christmas card collage as a fun way to go green with used cards.

13.  Hang lights outside with picnic table clips. Picnic table clips are an easy way to get lights up with minimal effort and they do not cause any damage to the house.

14.  Turn your refrigerator into a snowman. Decorating the fridge can be a cheap fun way to decorate while also getting the kids creatively involved in the decoration process.

15.  Purchase second hand decorations. When shopping for decorations, unless you are looking for something specific, your first stop should be a the local Good Will or Salvation Army. There are usually cheap, worthwhile finds and the proceeds may even go towards a good cause.

16.  DIY snowflakes make great window decorations. Fold up a coffee filter 2 or 3 times, cut holes as you desire and tape them up on the windows for a cheap and effective holiday decoration.

17.  Don’t forget about zip ties. Zip ties are a quick and easy way to securely hang lights and garland around the house--and it saves you from damaging your home.

18.  Make your own ornaments with trinkets or souvenirs. This is a cheap, creative way to use what you already have. Go exploring around the house to see what lost trinkets/souvenirs you have forgotten about and repurpose them into ornaments.

19.  Make your own Christmas chandelier. Hang ornaments from a light fixture with ribbon in order to create a fun, decorative Christmas chandelier.

20.  Use a toilet paper roll as a vase filler. Don’t have enough ornaments to fill up a bowl or vase? Simply stick an empty toilet paper roll in the middle or under the ornaments and it becomes a convenient filler.

21.  Repurpose your paper towel holder. Put various strings of ribbon or tape on your paper towel holder to save you time and effort while decorating or wrapping presents.

22.  Last minute wrapping paper. Flip a potato chip bag inside out, wash it and use it as wrapping paper. It’s a cheap, creative hack that will save you in a pinch.

23.  Store lights on hangers. When packing up your house after the holidays make sure to wrap all your lights around a hanger in order to keep them from becoming tangled.

24. Use creative ornament storage. Use plastic red cups or egg cartons as a safe and smart way to pack up all your precious ornaments.

25. Make your own hot glue snowflakes. Take your hot glue gun and apply the hot glue straight to your window. You can make your own unique and inexpensive snowflakes with what you already have!

Hot Tub Season

It is that time of year again when temperatures begin to drop and we hibernate within

our homes, but what if we do not want to be locked up inside hiding from the weather?

It means it is hot tub season! But there are so many questions that go along with

purchasing a hot tub. Is it worth it? Will this add value to my home? Where do I begin? I

will take some time and answer all the most important factors when deciding whether or

not to purchase a hot tub.


Is it worth it?

There are several factors which will determine if it is the right purchase for you--the first

thing to think about is whether or not you have a convenient space for a hot tub in your

yard. If you have to place the tub at a far end of your yard where you will have to brave

the elements to even get to the hot tub it might not be a wise purchase. If your yard

easily accommodates a spa close to the door that leads to your yard then start looking,

because prime location is key to getting the most out of your hot tub. Another factor to

consider is the health benefits of a hot tub; do you work at a job where you have to sit

at a desk all day? Many people have back problems and muscle pain due to sitting and

stress from work--a spa is an excellent de-stressor that can not only add value to your

yard but also to your life. Consider the health benefits when considering purchasing a

hot tub.


Will it add value to my home?

Generally, there is no hard and fast rule in determining whether or not a spa will add

much monetary value to a home. This is because adding a spa to a tiny, barren back

yard and adding that same tub to a large, beautifully landscaped yard hold different

value. Adding a hot tub to a unimpressive yard will bring up the overall value more than

adding a spa to a yard that already adds value to the home. As a rule of thumb if you

are looking to significantly improve your house for sale purposes there are cheaper and

wiser choices to work with. But if you are simply looking to make sure the money will not

be wasted, worry no more. Adding a hot tub to your yard may not significantly raise the

price of your home in the future, but it will certainly add to the appeal and will bring up

the value of your yard.


Where do I begin?

The best way to begin shopping for your hot tub is looking at spas online and comparing

prices--this way you can get a feel for your price range. The average cost of a hot tub

runs between $4,000-7,000, but you also need to take into consideration whether the

ground needs to be leveled, if you want to lay a cement pad down, and if you want a

walkway put in leading to the spa. After you add up the costs set a budget for yourself

and visit one or two of your local pool/spa stores. Compare prices at the stores and

decide what works best for your yard and for your lifestyle. After you find the deal

that is best for you there are many financing options available to costumers at all

stores. HINT: In some cases your insurance company will pay for your spa if you get a

recommendation from a doctor due to back, neck or muscle pain. Find out what your

options are before making your purchase. So go out there and find the best option for

you, your yard, and your life!

For Your Protection, Get a Home Inspection

            When buying a home, your agent will have you sign what may seem like a hundred pages of documents, all saying roughly the same thing: get a home inspection. It seems like a no-brainer to find out if the house you want has any serious problems before you make the biggest financial purchase of your life, but many home buyers don’t give a home inspection the sort of attention it deserves.

            It makes sense; you’ve searched for months and finally found the one. You have an accepted an offer and a close date on the distant horizon and your agent wants you to spend a good chunk of money to hire an inspector to find things wrong with your dream home. The seller swears it’s fine! Get a home inspection, it can help you in more ways than you realize.

            How to choose a home inspector: Start by asking your realtor for the name of a reputable home inspector. Then ask your friends who have made recent home purchase who they used and check online reviews--remember, the inspector you hire is working for you, not the seller and not your agent. It’s important that the inspector communicates directly to you, the home buyer, and not through your agent. Your agent may schedule the inspection, but otherwise, you are the boss and the inspector is your hire.

            Next, ask a potential inspector their qualifications. Are they licensed and bonded? Ask to see a sample report. Is it clear and thorough? Did the inspector take pictures of their findings? Ask the inspector what they do and don’t cover in their report. In general, home inspectors will inspect a house from top to bottom, including crawling underneath the home and going up on the roof. They will not move furniture if it is in the way or break down anything to get a better look. Make sure you can be present during the inspection. Inspections can take hours, but it’s important for you to be there for at least a walk-through with the inspector. This is not the time to bring your extended family to see your future home or to measure for furniture--give the inspector your full attention. Ask questions! The inspector should not offer to repair any defect found during the inspection, but may make recommendations for further inspections by more specifically qualified tradespeople, like plumbers, roofers, or electricians. Your agent can only pass on the inspector’s report to you; they can’t interpret findings.

            What happens if the inspector misses something? In a word, nothing. Unless the inspector is deliberately concealing material defects and it can be proven, the inspector is not liable for missed problems. However, inspectors get most of their business through recommendations by realtors and a poorly done inspection makes the agent look bad too. If an inspector is not living up to an agent’s high standards, they will not continue to recommend that inspector. Inspectors do not offer incentives to realtors for referrals. An inspector relies on good word of mouth. Keep in mind though, no inspector is perfect. Even the best inspector will miss something.

            Is it worth it? Finding potential problems in the house you want to purchase can be a real let down, but it leaves you with options you won’t have after the transaction is complete. For starters, the buyer can simply choose not to purchase the home. Or they can negotiate with the seller to have something fixed before the close of escrow. And, if the buyer has a home warranty, if something unexpectedly breaks after moving in that wasn’t noted as a problem in the inspection, you have that piece of protection when working with the home warranty company. Especially in homes that have been vacant for an extended period of time, big-ticket items can and do break after a new owner moves in.

What To Consider When Choosing New Trees

You've waited for this a long time, and now your dream has come true: You have a new home! And with it, a new yard. And now it's time to visit the nursery for a new leafy friend with a strong trunk. First and foremost, what is this investment in your yard going to function as? Do you need something that will shade your yard, give you privacy, or is it as simple as your yard being a bit of an eye-sore to you without some sort of large, luscious magnolia?

Look up what planting zone you live in to easily be able to scratch off trees from your list based on how they'll survive in the climate and check your soil type to ensure that your tree won't be doomed from the start due to dirt that is too rich or too sandy. Consider power lines above restricting height options and pipelines below. Certain trees could look gorgeous and provide excellent shade, but have roots that smother their neighboring plants or even damage the foundation of your house and crack sidewalks. 

What part of the day is your tree going to be able to provide shade and where? The space on the side of the house in which you need a tree may be limited. Say you need a tree that only grows up to 20 feet. You might consider a pink flowering tree like the dogwood or the wide, colorful canopy of a Japanese maple variety. Both have seasonal leaves that can provide shade in the summer and flaunt their handsome branches during the cold season. On the other hand, that does mean having to deal with leaves all over your driveway and possible allergies as the seasons change. There's no need to sacrifice your seasonal well-being for a well-shaded patio. 

Whether you choose the rugged Australian tea tree or tall and vibrant Robinson crabapple, do your homework just like you would with any long-term investment so you can contentedly watch your leafy family addition mature and thrive for years to come.

San Francisco's Spookiest Neighborhoods

The time for ghouls and goblins is among us! What better place to be than in the top-ranked Halloween city of the U.S.? Little stroller-bound monsters and full-grown warlocks alike can enjoy the sweet treats, haunted houses, and fantastically spooked out yards in neighborhoods all over San Francisco.

Considered some of the safest trick-or-treating destinations, Noe Valley and Beldevere Street will be teeming with youngsters on Halloween, but a quick drive through is a no go. Parts of the neighborhoods will be closed to thru-traffic entirely and parking will be near impossible.

You don’t have to be a kid to enjoy the views and potential for haunted houses in Presidio Heights and the Richmond. These neighborhoods are popular among pre-teens for their generosity with treats and sheer Halloween spirit. You’ll be amazed at how much detail goes into being the spookiest joints in the ‘hood.

Traverse the foggy streets and see some deliciously frightening Victorians in the more diverse areas of Haight-Ashbury and the Sunset--perfect destinations for enjoying some of the creativity of the residents and spooky atmosphere. 

No matter where you go this holiday, the Bay is filled to the brim with Halloween spirit! For more fun activities, check out The Daily Clog.

The Scoop On Open Houses

One of the most discouraging things I hear from potential buyers is how disappointed they are with the homes that are available. I ask them, “How are you seeing the homes you are interested in?” The answer is most often open houses. Open houses can be a great place to connect with a realtor and to get a sense of what kind of house your money will buy, but it’s not a substitute for a realtor’s expertise and access to the MLS.

In the most recent buyer survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors, only 3 percent of buyers reported finding their new home from an open house. So why do realtors continue to have open houses if it’s not leading to the house being sold? They host open houses to sell themselves. It’s not just for the buyer’s benefit—the second most likely person to visit an open house is a neighbor who is curious what homes like their own are selling for and it’s a chance for the realtor to make an important connection.

Plenty of people plan their weekends around open houses, but why not let a realtor do the work? For starters, there is no rule that a home for sale has to have an open house. If you’re waiting for an open house to see the inside, keep in mind that a well-priced home may sell before an open house can be scheduled. If an open house is scheduled after a few weeks on the market, you can bet it’s because the house isn’t selling—not surprising then that so many people who limit themselves to just open houses find nothing but over-priced listings staffed with over-eager agents.

The alternative? Give a realtor a chance. Buyers’ agents are paid by the seller’s agent, so the help is free. If you are serious about buying a home, the sooner you start working with a professional, the sooner you’ll have your weekends free.

Should You Consider Purchasing a Foreclosure?

You may have heard a plethora of conflicting information about foreclosures. As is the case with any real estate transaction, each foreclosure will be its own unique situation. To get you started, here are some basics about foreclosure properties.

From the buyer’s perspective, there is little difference between purchasing a home through a standard sale versus a foreclosure. Buying a foreclosed home is not a guaranteed deal like it may have been a few years ago, but if the property appeals to you, there’s little reason to avoid a purchase just because it’s a foreclosure. 

A foreclosure, also called an REO, is a property that has been repossessed by the bank and is being resold after the homeowner fails to repay the mortgage. Because the asset manager has never lived at the property, the bank is exempt from providing the information normally provided by the homeowner. However, a buyer still has the right to a home inspection, and no seller questionnaire will exclude the need for a thorough and professional investigation.

Perhaps the biggest difference between a standard sale and a foreclosure is what the home inspector will find during the course of their investigation. In a standard sale, the homeowner has a vested interest in the property selling quickly and for the most amount of money possible. These houses are usually clean and don’t need major repairs. In the case of foreclosures, there are a whole host of possible scenarios that can affect a property from the time the homeowner stops making payments to when the house is put up for sale. Some people feel they are being forced out of their homes and will make attempts to sabotage the property. Some realtors have seen cement flushed down toilets to destroy the plumbing, or graffiti spray-painted on walls. Some occupants will take anything of potential value from the property: appliances, fixtures, flooring, copper pipes and wiring, yes, even the kitchen sink. However, there are plenty of properties that are perfectly fine. The word “foreclosure” really does apply only to the type of sale and not to the condition of the property.

In a rising market, a foreclosure is a great option for a buyer intending to live in the home. When making an offer on a foreclosure, your realtor should contact the listing agent to get an idea of the flexibility of the asset manager. Sometimes the selling bank may fulfill requested repairs, but not always. If they do not, and you have a loan that requires the house you buy to be in good condition (such as a VA or FHA loan), your offer could be rejected. But because so many loans that were foreclosed on were backed by the government via Freddie mac or Fannie Mae, the bank is incentivized to return the properties to owner occupants, giving them the advantage over investors with cash.

Depending on what type of loan the original homeowner had, the bank may be able to offer the new buyer a loan type that allows for money for repairs in addition to money for the purchase. However, there are fewer REOs available these days are banks are in no hurry to recoup a few hundred thousand dollars, so don’t assume the house is priced under market value. Look at comparable properties just as you would a standard sale before making an offer.